Ahhh Summer is Here!!

We spent a great weekend at the beach. I really love the beach so much- it may definitely be one of my favorite places on Earth. I just find it so calming until my kids are running all over the place and then it isn't so calm. They love the beach!! Zoe had a blast-she loved the pool, the other kids, everything. I also love that Jordyn can be so independent there. (It is a beach club- please don't think we just let her wander up and down the Atlantic coast). I also have many friends there who are knitters and help me with my projects. I just finished Jordyn's poncho and will post a photo at a later date. The one I made for Zoe is lost someplace in the mall-not my doing. I'll have to try to be adventurous and make her a sweater this summer. Oh well-let's see how much I can really accomplish.

I think Zoe can be the stand in...

for Dora. Dave brought her home a blow up Dora after he went to an amusement park with Jordyn. I had taken Zoe with me to Chinatown in NYC. I really do find it to be so amazing how much easier it is with one. That being said I am starting to itch for #3. We have no room here but at some point when we move in the next few years and the girls are older I hope to be able to bring an older boy home. I wouldn't adopt somebody older than Zoe because I don't think I would want to mess with the "birth order". I could see a 5 or 6 year old. Of course, Dave probably couldn't see it. Is it possible to have an accidental adoption? On my g-d!!! I don't know how that paperwork was filled out?!! It must have been the timing, I can't believe we were given a I-171H. How could that happen? I'll just have to sneak the social worker into my house for the home study. I know I have a few years before this happens- and it will happen:)!!

My New Favorite Neighborhood

We went to check out Long Island City today. The views of Manhattan are awesome and I love all the cute little bistros popping up all over the place. Jordyn kept asking to go back to play by the ocean. ( AKA the river) Have I not been taking this child to the beach every summer? We belong to a beach club where Jordyn goes to camp. How is she not able to distinguish the two types of water? Oh well!!

What to do with this hair?

Zoe's hair is coming in really think and almost wavy. Right now though, I feel like it's too short to do anything with it. I am happy to take suggestions. I have tried clips and she just keeps pulling them out. I like the headband but she didn't keep this on for more than two minutes- long enough to take the picture.

On another note- I read a lot of different blogs, especially those of other adoptive families. There has been some discussion about some of the blogs being all light and airy. I know I post pictures that are cute and of the girls having fun. I don't really like to discuss all the "heavy" stuff and believe nobody would want to see a picture of one of my kids in full rage mode. I think their emotional issues are theirs and I don't think I should post it.

D-D-D-D-DORA

Zoe has discovered Dora. She isn't speaking spanish yet but she loves,loves,loves Dora. I happen to think right now she looks a little bit like Dora. I think it might be the hair.

There are of course many differences between the girls and one of them is their size, Zoe is much taller and bigger than Jordyn. The nice thing is Jordyn could wear an outfit for more than a year and as of last summer was still wearing some 24 month, 2T clothes ( she was 4). Zoe is now wearing her pj's from last summer. I just donated bags of clothes because Zoe is growing by the minute. I am not complaining it just is something I'm not used to.
Baby- You could drive my car!!

We want to rock!!!
I asked Dave to change Zoe's diaper this morning . I came back to find this!!! Thanks- you've helped so much ( although, she does look cute and thought it was very funny).

A Beautiful Day

The weekend was beautiful in New York. We went to birthday parties and a carnival!! Fun!Fun!fun!

There are no words..

to express the sadness that I have felt this week. My eyes fill up with tears every time I think of those 32 people who were lost at Virginia Tech that day. There is also another part of me who feels very bad for the family of that mentally ill boy. As a parent it is so hard to believe that our children are not always safe at school. As a teacher, I want children to come and tell us when they are upset or going through turmoil. We need to step in when we see children bullying others or hurting each others feelings. I will never understand why we need to have guns in the first place. There is just too much sadness that sometimes I don't think I can handle it.

Goodnight Moon

This is one of Zoe's favorites and part of our nightly ritual. Of course she is now in bed and loves to keep shouting out "mama, mama". This can go on for and hour and a half. How is she not tired? It is late and I would love for someone to be tucking me in at 7 pm. Please ignore her glistening cheeks, that would be the aquaphor.

It just clicked

You know when all of a sudden it just clicks ( with the kids). This vacation it happened. All of a sudden Zoe has seemed to become extremely attached. We thought she was before but now it is with all of us. She wants to be wherever Jordyn is now as well. The girls share a room and now Zoe doesn't even want to go to sleep at night if she isn't in there. Even when we move, we decided the girls will continue to share a room. I have taken the girls to a lot of different places this vacation and they truly enjoyed being together a lot.

This morning Jordyn had a request for my waffles and then we went to the zoo. Zoe was terrified when we saw the gorillas, I think she didn't understand they couldn't touch us. She was extremely upset by the big silver back that was only about a foot away.

On another note I watched a film from Netflix last night. It was called, For the Children. It was a Chinese movie and I highly recommend it. It is about a woman who loses her husband and child and teaches in the desert in China. During this time a teacher from Beijing comes and it is about their friendship.

Well, tomorrow I go back to work and the girls go back to school and daycare. I know Zoe will not be happy.

Fun filled vacation!!

We have had a very nice week and a few days off. We had two wonderful Passover sedars one with family and one with friends. Great food and lots of fun. I have tried very hard to keep the girls occupied. We have visited the aquarium in Norwalk, Conn. went to the Long Island Children's Museum, playdates and then this weekend we went to an Easter egg Hunt and the Museum of Natural History. Let me say Jordyn has had a great time at everything and poor Zoe for the most part has to stay in her stroller. Zoe loves to be very active and is quite the little dare devil. When we were at the aquarium they had a tank to touch the sting rays, Jordyn was trying to touch them and Zoe wants to dive in and swim with them.

Zoe has some wonderful new tricks- she holds the milk in her mouth and then lets it dribble out. I love this trick especially since we have carpeting. She also likes to dive from the couch to the ottoman ( which she broke last week- it had wheels and now it has none). We did get her ears pierced this weekend.

Family Day Celebration!!

We had a very weekend celebrating with Jordyn and friends and family. We took the girls on Saturday into NYC to go to the Disney store and to eat dinner at Mars2112. Jordyn and her Dad took the spaceship ride and met me in the restaurant part. The highlight of the weekend was when Jordyn asked how we were going to get home. If only going to Mars was so quick. The girls were a little afraid of the Martians but they had a great time. Today we celebrated with our family and friends. Jordyn was so happy a ll weekend.She loved watching the video of when she was a baby in China and how we became a family. She also really loves the book I made for her. Now I just have to really start Zoe's because she is definitely going to get the short end of the deal and have major 2nd child syndrome.

Family day!!!!

It was 4 years ago tomorrow that we became a family of 3. I remember it like it was yesterday. Dave and I were so excited- the anticipation of holding our baby in our arms was almost indescribable. We took 3 airplanes to get to Kunming and had about 2 hours to pull ourselves together before we were able to meet Jordyn.

Jordyn- you are such a blessing to us!! You were so quiet and scared when we met you, and now you are such a big girl, full of life and fun!! You are such a great big sister and we are always so proud of you. Happy family day!!!!!

4 shots!!

No- not the fun kind. Zoe went to the Pediatrician today and received 4 shots, she was quite the trooper. She is growing very nicely and really has the nicest way about her. Jordyn stepped up to the plate as a big sister and gave her some stickers.

On another note- I saw Angelina Jolie came home with her new son. Knowing all we do about how difficult it is for some children to transition ( especially a 3 year old) to new surroundings, I hope the press respects the fact that this boy has been through enough without them swarming around. Don't get me wrong I would love to be with Brad Pitt as my new surroundings, I just hope this child is not completely traumatized by all of this.

Although my children are not going to be on the cover of People this week- here are a few pictures.

Belated Chinese New Year Pics

We had such a nice time at the FCC-LI Chinese New Year party- Here are some pics!

Things are better

Ok- Fever has broken -Jordyn has gone back to school and all seems a little better right now. I will keep everyone very low key the next few days. Zoe has been talking so much-today someone on a tv show started to count- one and I heard her say two. Having a big sister is definately a plus.

Things here are pretty crappy

The past few days have sucked because the girls, especially Jordyn have been and continues to be sick. Zoe just seems to have a bad cold. Jordyn is going on her 7th day of fever. We took her to the "urgicenter" last Thursday night when she had 104.3- they told me I don't have to bring her in because they don't consider that to be dangerous-guess what- tough sh**, in our house that's a problem. I love the questions from the people on call, too. "Well, how does she look?" Me- "how do you think she looks with over 104- like crap".

We bring her in - they tell us it's viral - Fine I make them test her for mono and anemia. I'm still waiting for the results. I know it's only Monday and they didn't go out until Friday but I'm a little impatient. Today we had kindergarten registration and you must bring your child with you. So- she was out in the cold- waiting for our number- she was a champ. I bring her to my mom's after where she slept all day. I finally speak to my pediatrician-she wants to see her tomorrow if she still has fever-which she still does. So- that's it- I vented. I'm very upset, Jordyn has been sleeping all day and I just want her to feel better very soon- like tomorrow.

A few days away and now...we're back!!

Well I know I shouldn't feel guilty for going away for 2 nights, so I won't. We decided to go for some alone time-together. It was definitely needed. The great thing was both girls were given completely individual attention by each grandmother. Jordyn had a wonderful time of shopping and coloring without her little sister around to bother her- and Zoe had full rights to the house and all the toys. When I fist became a mom, I wouldn't leave Jordyn for months to really go away and even then I called constantly and couldn't really relax. I have to say this time- called alot but certainly relaxed!!! Our promise to Jordyn ( or bribe) was 2 trips on the Ferris Wheel in Toys-R-Us and a visit to the M&M store as well. Here are some of todays pics- Zoe was in daycare-so Jordyn had both parents to herself.